Coaxial cable connector

ABSTRACT

An insulating base includes integrally formed raised supporting portions, bridging portions, and a contact holding portion formed between the bridging portions. One end of the contact holding portion projects through a mounting hole of the insulating base to connect with a conductive cover, while another end of the contact holding portion connects with a contact terminal. The contact holding portion and the conductive cover together receive a coaxial cable plug. A fitting portion of the cover fits between an inner surface of the mounting hole and an outer surface of the contact holding portion. A mounting collar on the cover contacts the insulating base at an edge of the mounting hole. A stopper groove on the fitting portion of the cover is located on the other side of the insulating base from the mounting collar. A catching portion of a ground contact terminal, shaped as a two-pronged fork, engages the stopper groove to securely attach the cover to the insulating base while simultaneously connecting the ground contact terminal to the conductive cover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a coaxial cable connector which iseasier to produce and assemble and is capable of reducing the number ofparts, wherein its cover is attached by engaging a ground contactterminal with the cover.

A typical configuration of a coaxial cable connector of this typerequires the steps of (1) inserting a plug contact portion of a contactterminal in a plug contact portion insertion hole, which is so bored ina cylindrical insulating bush for maintaining the contact as to extendalong the axis of the insulating bush; (2) inserting the insulating bushhaving the contact terminal inserted therein into a conductive cover;(3) holding another insulating bush that is inserted in the conductivecover by means of crimping the cover; (4) fitting the conductive coverin a mounting hole of the base; (5) attaching the conductive cover tothe base while the base is sandwiched, at the upper and the lower endsof the mounting hole thereof, by a mounting collar of the conductivecover and a nut screwed around a threaded portion of the conductivecover; and (6) fastening a ground contact terminal with a nut in thestate where the ground contact terminal is fitted to the conductivecover which is snugly inserted in the base.

However, the above configuration of the conventional coaxial cableconnector requires fitting the conductive cover, which maintains thecontact through the insulating bushes, in the mounting hole of the base,then fitting the ground contact terminal to the conductive cover, andfinally screwing a nut around the threaded portion of the conductivecover. As the conventional configuration requires a large number ofparts and assembling steps, it presents such problems as poorproductivity and high production costs.

An example of a means for solving this problem is offered in JapaneseUtility Model Publication No. 13344/1989, which discloses a coaxialcable connector having a conductive cover and a ground contact terminal.The conductive cover has a mounting collar that juts out from the middleof the outer surface of the conductive cover and a stopper groove formedbelow the mounting collar. The ground contact terminal has a forkedcatching piece portion to be fitted in the stopper groove of theconductive cover, wherein the cover can be attached to a base of thecoaxial cable connector by means of fitting the conductive cover in amounting hole of the base. The mounting collar is thereby brought intocontact with the upper end of the mounting hole. The catching pieceportion of the ground contact terminal is then fitted in the stoppergroove that is now located below the underside of the base as a resultof the insertion of the cover through the mounting hole of the base sothat the base is firmly sandwiched between the mounting collar and theground contact terminal.

The configuration of the coaxial cable connector disclosed in the aboveJapanese Utility Model Publication No. 13344/1989, however, requires aparticular process to secure an insulating bush in the conductive coverin order to insulate a plug contact portion of the contact terminal fromthe cover. Furthermore, the configuration of the conductive cover iscomplicated in that a positioning step has to be formed in theconductive cover in order to secure the insulating bush.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present inventionis to provide a coaxial cable connector which is easier to produce andassemble.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connecterwith fewer parts.

Briefly stated, an insulating base includes integrally formed raisedsupporting portions, bridging portions, and a contact holding portionformed between the bridging portions. One end of the contact holdingportion projects through a mounting hole of the insulating base toconnect with a conductive cover, while another end of the contactholding portion connects with a contact terminal. The contact holdingportion and the conductive cover together receive a coaxial cable plug.A fitting portion of the cover fits between an inner surface of themounting hole and an outer surface of the contact holding portion. Amounting collar on the cover contacts the insulating base at an edge ofthe mounting hole. A stopper groove on the fitting portion of the coveris located on the other side of the insulating base from the mountingcollar. A catching portion of a ground contact terminal, shaped as atwo-pronged fork, engages the stopper groove to securely attach thecover to the insulating base while simultaneously connecting the groundcontact terminal to the conductive cover.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a coaxial cableconnector includes an insulating base, a conductive cover fitting intothe insulating base through a mounting hole in the insulating base, theconductive cover effective for receiving a ground terminal portion of acoaxial cable, a stopper groove in the conductive cover, the stoppergroove being effective for receiving a catching portion of a groundcontact terminal, a contact holding portion connected to the insulatingbase, the contact holding portion having a plug pin insertion hole atone end thereof effective for receiving a plug pin of a coaxialconnector, the contact holding portion having a plug contact portioninsertion hole at another end thereof effective for receiving a plugcontact portion of a contact terminal, and the plug pin insertion holeand the plug contact portion insertion hole directly communicating witheach other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a coaxial cableconnector includes an insulating base, a conductive cover fitting intothe insulating base through a mounting hole in the insulating base,means, in the conductive cover, for receiving a ground terminal portionof a coaxial cable, means, in the conductive cover, for receiving acatching portion of a ground contact terminal, a contact holding portionconnected to the insulating base, means, in one end of the contactholding portion, for receiving a plug pin of a coaxial connector, means,in another end of the contact holding portion, for receiving a plugcontact portion of a contact terminal, and the means for receiving aplug pin of a coaxial connector and the means for receiving a plugcontact portion of a contact terminal being in direct communication witheach other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method ofassembling a coaxial cable connector includes the steps of fitting acover in a mounting hole of a mounting base 1 wherein a mounting collarof the cover contacts the mounting base at an edge of the mounting hole,fitting a catching portion of a ground contact terminal into a stoppergroove of the cover wherein the mounting base is sandwiched between themounting collar and the ground contact terminal, and inserting a contactterminal into a contact holding portion of the mounting base.

The present invention relates to a coaxial cable connector having aninsulating base; a cylindrical conductive cover to be attached to theinsulating base; a ground contact terminal which is provided with acatching portion to be engaged with and connected to the conductivecover; and a contact terminal which is provided with a plug contactportion to be insulated and snugly inserted into the conductive cover;wherein at least one mounting hole for permitting the conductive coverto be inserted therethrough is bored through the insulating base; raisedsupporting portions jutting downward from the edge of the mounting hole,bridging portions that connect the raised supporting portions, and acontact holding portion are provided as an integral body with theinsulating base in such a manner that the contact holding portion isinserted through the mounting hole so as to project above the insulatingbase; the contact holding portion is provided with an insertion hole fora plug pin of a coaxial connector and a plug contact portion insertionhole for the plug contact portion of the contact terminal to be insertedtherein, the plug pin insertion hole and the plug contact portioninsertion hole directly communicating with each other and respectivelyopened at the upper end and the lower end of the contact holdingportion; a fitting portion to be fitted between the inner surface of themounting hole of the insulating base and the outer surface of thecontact holding portion is formed at the lower part of the conductivecover; a horizontally jutting mounting collar to contact with the upperend of the mounting hole is formed at the upper end of the fittingportion; a stopper groove is formed below the mounting collar; thecatching portion of the ground contact terminal is formed in the shapeof a two-pronged fork so as to be fitted in the stopper groove of theconductive cover; the conductive cover is attached to the insulatingbase by means of fitting the conductive cover around the contact holdingportion of the insulating base, inserting the fitting portion of theconductive cover between the inner surface of the mounting hole of theinsulating base and the outer surface of the contact holding portion sothat the mounting collar comes into contact with the upper end of themounting hole, and fitting the catching piece portion of the groundcontact terminal in the stopper groove of the conductive cover locatedbelow the underside of the insulating base in the state where theconductive cover is inserted through the mounting hole of the insulatingbase, thereby securely supporting the insulating base between themounting collar and the ground contact terminal; and the plug contactportion of the contact terminal is securely inserted in the contactholding portion of the insulating base. With the configuration as above,the cover can be attached to the base by inserting the plug contactportion of the contact terminal into the plug contact portion insertionhole of the contact holding portion, which is an integral body with thebase, inserting the conductive cover through the mounting hole of thebase by fitting the cover around the contact holding portion, andsandwiching the base between the mounting collar and the ground contactterminal by bringing the mounting collar into contact with the upper endof the mounting hole and fitting the ground contact terminal in thestopper groove of the cover, which is located below the underside of thebase because of the insertion of the cover through the mounting hole.The plug contact portion may be inserted into the plug contact portioninsertion hole of the contact holding portion after the cover isattached to the base. The contact holding portion and the base of thecoaxial cable connector assembled as above are formed as an integralbody. As there is no need of a working step to fit an insulating bush inthe conductive cover, and the number of parts is reduced, a coaxialcable connector according to the invention is more convenient toassemble.

According to another feature of the invention, rotation-stop catchingsurfaces are formed on the inner surface of the mounting hole of theinsulating base, and rotation-stop surfaces which come into contact withthe rotation-stop catching surfaces are formed on the fitting portion ofthe conductive cover. Therefore, by bringing the rotation stop surfacesof the fitting portion of the cover into the rotation-stop catchingsurfaces on the inner surface of the mounting hole of the insulatingbase, the cover is secured so as not to turn in the circumferentialdirection.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumerals designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded oblique view of a coaxial cable connectoraccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded oblique view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 viewedfrom the opposite side.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in theassembled state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a mounting base 1 is formed in the shape of aplate using an insulating material, such as synthetic resin. Mountingbase 1 preferably has appropriate projections (not shown) and/ormounting holes to facilitate attaching mounting base 1 to a housing orthe like.

One or more mounting holes 2 are bored through the planar surface ofmounting base 1. Each mounting hole 2 is preferably formed by boring twooverlapping circular holes with offset centers. The two lines tangent toboth circles (holes) defines two remaining portions which are thenremoved to form two rotation-stop catching surfaces 3, 3. Each mountinghole 2 is thus roughly oblong in shape with opposing planar sidesforming the rotation-stop catching surfaces 3, 3.

Raised supporting portions 4, 4 are preferably integrally formed withmounting base 1. Raised supporting portions 4, 4 jut outward from theperimeter of mounting hole 2, i.e., facing towards the left of FIG. 1.The ends of raised supporting portions 4, 4 are connected by bridgingportions 5, 5 and an essentially cylindrical contact holding portion 6.Contact holding portion 6 is provided between bridging portions 5, 5 insuch a manner as to project beyond mounting base 1. Raised supportingportions 4, 4; bridging portions 5, 5; and contact holding portion 6 arepreferably formed as a single body.

A contact terminal 21 is formed of a conductive plate. One end ofcontact terminal 21 includes a plug contact portion 22 which has a plugpin catching notch 23 open at an end for receiving a coaxial cable plugpin. A contact-point portion 24, which becomes narrower towards the end,protrudes inward from the end of each side of plug pin catching notch 23so that the two contact-point portions 24 face each other. Plug pincatching notch 23 and contact-point portions 24 thus provide resilientcontact with the received coaxial cable plug pin.

The other end of contact terminal 21 extends straight, thus forming aconnecting piece 25 for connecting to a conductive wire (not shown). Acatching protrusion 26, shaped in an inverted V, is formed at the middleof each side edge of contact terminal 21 to provide a firm connectionwhen inserted into a groove-shaped plug contact portion insertion hole11. Plug contact portion insertion hole 11 is open at one end so as topermit plug contact portion 22 of contact terminal 21 to be insertedtherein.

A cover 30 is formed of conductive material, such as metal, in anessentially cylindrical shape. A fitting hole 31 permitting contactholding portion 6 to be fitted therein is coaxially bored through cover30. A fitting portion 32 of fitting hole 31 has a smaller diameter thana remainder of fitting hole 31 so as to fit between an inner surface ofmounting hole 2 of mounting base 1 and an outer surface of contactholding portion 6. A mounting collar 33 horizontally juts out from oneend of fitting portion 32 to limit movement of cover 30 through mountinghole 2.

Substantially flat rotation-stop surfaces 35 are formed on fittingportion 32 of cover 30 so as to contact rotation-stop catching surfaces3 when cover 30 is inserted into mounting hole 2. A stopper groove 34 islocated near an end of fitting portion 32 effective for receiving acatching portion 41 of an essentially L-shaped ground contact terminal40. A connecting piece portion 42 of ground contact terminal 40 attachesto a ground wire (not shown). Catching portion 41 is in the shape of aU-like fork which fits in catching groove 34 of cover 30.

A plug pin insertion hole 10 for receiving a coaxial cable plug pin (notshown) is coaxially bored in contact holding portion 6. A taperedinsertion portion 7 of plug pin insertion hole 10 facilitates entry ofthe coaxial cable plug pin (not shown). Tapered insertion portion 7 isconnected to a main insertion portion 8 by a step portion 9. Maininsertion portion 8 tapers gently away from step portion 9. Plug pininsertion hole 10 directly communicates with plug contact portioninsertion hole 11.

The procedure for assembling the present embodiment is explainedhereunder.

First, insert plug contact portion 22 of contact terminal 21 into plugcontact portion insertion hole 11 of contact holding portion 6 untilcatching protrusions 26 of contact terminal 21 are caught in plugcontact portion insertion hole 11.

Second, fit cover 30 over contact holding portion 6, which has contactterminal 21 inserted therein, so that contact holding portion 6 isinside fitting hole 31 of cover 30. By fitting cover 30 in a manner suchthat rotation-stop catching surfaces 3 of mounting hole 2 are positionedto correspond to rotation-stop surfaces 35, fitting portion 32 of cover30 is pushed between the outer surface of contact holding portion 6 andinner surface of mounting hole 2 of mounting base 1. Mounting collar 33of cover 30 comes into contact with the upper surface of mountingbase 1. In this state, cover 30 is secured with its rotation-stopsurfaces 35 abutting respective rotation-stop catching surfaces 3 ofmounting hole 2.

Third, snugly attach cover 30 to mounting base 1 by fitting catchingportion 41 of ground contact terminal 40 in stopper groove 34 of cover30. Mounting collar 33 and ground contact terminal 40 securelysandwiches mounting base 1. Since cover 30 is secured against turning bythe engagement of rotation-stop surfaces of cover 30 with rotation-stopcatching surfaces of the mounting hole, stable connection of a coaxialcable plug is ensured.

Optionally, plug contact portion 22 may be inserted into plug contactportion insertion hole 11 of contact holding portion 6 after cover 30 isattached to mounting base 1.

Furthermore, although connecting piece portion 25 of contact terminal 21and connecting piece portion 42 of ground contact terminal 40 projectperpendicular to mounting base 1 in the above embodiment, they may be soformed as to project parallel to mounting base 1.

Contact holding portion 6 projects from mounting base 1 and permitscontact terminal 21 to be inserted therein. Therefore, the connector iseasily assembled by fitting cover 30 in mounting hole 2 of mounting base1 to bring mounting collar 33 of cover 30 into contact with the upperend of mounting hole 2, fitting catching portion 41 of ground contactterminal 40 in a stopper groove of cover 30 in the state where cover 30is fitted through mounting hole 2 of mounting base 1 so that the portionwhere the stopper groove is formed projects downward from the mountinghole, attaching cover 30 to mounting base 1 with mounting base 1sandwiched between mounting collar 33 and ground contact terminal 40,and inserting contact terminal 21 into contact holding portion 6. Thus,the invention provides a connector which requires only a minimal numberof parts, is easier to assemble, is of better quality and has lowerproduction costs than the prior art.

Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with referenceto the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changesand modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A coaxial cable connector, comprising:aninsulating base; a conductive cover fitting into said insulating basethrough a mounting hole in said insulating base; said conductive coverbeing effective for receiving a ground terminal portion of a coaxialcable; a stopper groove in said conductive cover; said stopper groovebeing effective for receiving a catching portion of a ground contactterminal; a contact holding portion connected to said insulating base;said contact holding portion having a plug pin insertion hole at one endthereof being effective for receiving a plug pin of a coaxial connector;said contact holding portion having a plug contact portion insertionhole at another end thereof being effective for receiving a plug contactportion of a contact terminal; and said plug pin insertion hole and saidplug contact portion insertion hole directly communicating with eachother.
 2. A coaxial cable connector according to claim 1, wherein:atleast one rotation-stop catching surface is formed on an inner surfaceof said mounting hole; at least one rotation-stop surface is formed onsaid conductive cover; and said at least one rotation-stop catchingsurface and said at least one rotation-stop surface are congruent toeach other.
 3. A coaxial cable connector according to claim 1, whereinsaid conductive cover further comprises:a fitting portion beingeffective for fitting between an inner surface of said mounting hole andan outer surface of said contact holding portion; said stopper groovebeing in said fitting portion; and an annular mounting collar separatingsaid fitting portion from a remainder of said conductive cover.
 4. Acoaxial cable connector according to claim 1, further comprising:aplurality of raised supporting portions jutting from said insulatingbase at an edge of said mounting hole; and a bridging portion connectingsaid plurality of raised supporting portions to each other and to saidcontact holding portion.
 5. A coaxial cable connector according to claim4, wherein said plurality of raised supporting portions, said bridgingportion, and said contact holding portion are integrally formed.
 6. Acoaxial cable connector according to claim 4, wherein said plurality ofraised supporting portions, said bridging portion, said contact holdingportion, and said insulating base are integrally formed.
 7. A coaxialcable connector according to claim 1, further comprising:said contactterminal; and said ground contact terminal.
 8. A coaxial cable connectoraccording to claim 7, wherein:said contact terminal includes a plugcontact portion, a plug pin catching notch, a catching protrusion, and aconnecting piece; and said ground contact terminal includes a catchingportion and a connecting piece portion.
 9. A coaxial cable connector,comprising:an insulating base; a conductive cover fitting into saidinsulating base through a mounting hole in said insulating base; means,in said conductive cover, for receiving a ground terminal portion of acoaxial cable; means, in said conductive cover, for receiving a catchingportion of a ground contact terminal; a contact holding portionconnected to said insulating base; means, in one end of said contactholding portion, for receiving a plug pin of a coaxial connector; means,in another end of said contact holding portion, for receiving a plugcontact portion of a contact terminal; and said means for receiving aplug pin of a coaxial connector and said means for receiving a plugcontact portion of a contact terminal being in direct communication witheach other.
 10. A coaxial cable connector according to claim 9, furthercomprising means for preventing rotation of said conductive cover insidesaid mounting hole.
 11. A method of assembling a coaxial cableconnector, comprising the steps of:fitting a cover in a mounting hole ofa mounting base wherein a mounting collar of said cover contacts saidmounting base at an edge of said mounting hole; fitting a catchingportion of a ground contact terminal into a stopper groove of said coverwherein said mounting base is sandwiched between said mounting collarand said ground contact terminal; and inserting a contact terminal intoa contact holding portion of said mounting base.
 12. A method accordingto claim 11, further comprising the step of attaching a catchingprotrusion of said contact terminal to said contact holding portion. 13.A method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:formingat least one rotation-stop catching surface in said mounting hole; andforming at least one rotation-stop surface on said cover, said at leastone rotation-stop surface being substantially congruent to said at leastone rotation-stop catching surface.